1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner and, more particularly, to rectification of an airflow in an air conditioner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 9 which is a cross-sectional view showing an air conditioner, when conditioned air whose temperature is conditioned by an air conditioner is blown out of a blowing-out port 19, a pressure loss generally occurs in the blown-out air passing through a blown-out air duct reaching the blowing-out port 19 by the influence of vertical air flowing direction adjusting vanes 4 or lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes 21. Furthermore, if a rotating speed of a cross-flow fan 22 having a function of generating the blown-out air of the conditioned air decreases, the blown-out air becomes turbulent or a quantity of the blown-out air is reduced. This prevents the blown-out air from flowing along the vertical air flowing direction adjusting vanes 4 positioned in front of the cross-flow fan 22 so as to separate the blown-out air from the vanes 4, thereby causing dew condensation. In order to alleviate or prevent such a phenomenon, a jumper mount 1 shown in a cross-sectional view of FIG. 10 or a baffle plate 2 shown in a cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 has been conventionally fixed in the structure of the blowing-out port.
A purpose of the jumper mount 1 is to blown out air along the vertical vanes 4 by changing a main stream advancing direction of the blown-out air flowing along a casing of a unit box 3 defining a back wall of the blown-out air duct, thereby reducing the contact of the vertical vanes 4 cooled by the blown-out air with outside air so as to prevent any dew condensation. Another purpose is to direct the main stream advancing direction of the blown-out air in a certain direction so as to suppress turbulence, so that dew condensation in the vicinity of the blowing-out port 19 caused by the turbulence due to a decrease of air quantity which is caused by reducing the rotating speed of the cross-flow fan 22 for generating the blown-out air.
However, since the jumper mount 1 is brought into direct contact with the blown-out air, it is cooled by the air, so that dew condensation occurs at an end face 5 of the jumper mount 1 which is in contact with the outside air. Consequently, it is necessary to attach a member having a water retaining property such as a flocked tape to the end face 5.
In the meantime, the baffle plate 2 reduces the blowing-out area of the blowing-out port 19 so as to partly increase an air quantity and allow the blown-out air to further flow over a portion of the vertical vane 4 where dew condensation occurs. Similarly to the jumper mount 1 for reducing separation of the blown-out air, the baffle plate 2 is the technique for reducing the dew condensation.
However, since the baffle plate 2 increases the blown-out air 18 but decreases the blown-out air 17, as shown in FIG. 11, the outside air flows into the structure of the blowing-out port from the upper part of the port where the blown-out air 17 is decreased. Accordingly, since the baffle plate 2 in direct contact with the blown-out air is cooled in the air, dew condensation at an end face 6 of the baffle plate 2 is caused. Therefore, also in this case, it is necessary to attach a member having a water retaining property such as a flocked tape to the end face 6, like in the case of the jumper mount 1.
In this way, although the prior art can resultantly reduce or prevent the phenomenon of the dew condensation with respect to the blowing-out port in the air conditioner, the dew condensation occurs at other portions in turn, so that it is necessary to attach a member having a water retaining property such as a flocked tape or to additionally attach other parts known as prior arts, thus raising the problem of an increase in the number of component parts.
In the meanwhile, FIG. 19 is a side cross-sectional view showing a conventional window type air conditioner which is installed on a wall. In FIG. 19, reference numeral 31 designates a casing of the air conditioner, the inside of which is divided into an exterior side and an interior side by a partition plate 32; 33, an exterior suction port through which exterior air is sucked from the exterior of a room; 34, an exterior blowing-out port, through which air is blown out to the exterior of the room; 35, an interior suction port, through which interior air is sucked from the interior of the room; 36, an interior blowing-out port, through which air is blown out to the interior of the room; 37, an exterior heat exchanger disposed in the vicinity of the exterior blowing-out port 34 inside the casing 31; 38, an interior heat exchanger disposed in the vicinity of the interior suction port 35 inside the casing 31; 39, an electric motor for blowing, disposed on the exterior side; 40, an axial fan interposed between the exterior heat exchanger 37 and the electric motor 39 and connected to the electric motor 39; 40a, a blade fixing portion (i.e., a boss), to which a blade of the axial fan 40 is fixed; 41, a sirocco fan interposed between the interior heat exchanger 38 and the electric motor 39 and connected to the electric motor 39; 42, a fan cover disposed around the axial fan 40; and 43, a compressor constituting a refrigerant cycle together with the exterior heat exchanger 37 and the interior heat exchanger 38.
In the air conditioner such constituted as described above, the electric motor 39 drives to rotate the axial fan 40 on the exterior side, so as to suck the exterior air through the exterior suction port 33. The exterior air is sucked into the axial fan 40, and then, is blown out of the exterior blowing-out port 34 through the exterior heat exchanger 37.
Moreover, the electric motor 39 drives to rotate the sirocco fan 41 on the interior side, so as to suck the interior air through the interior suction port 35. The interior air is sucked into the sirocco fan 41 through the interior heat exchanger 38, and then, is blown out of the interior blowing-out port 36.
In the conventional air conditioner such constituted as described above, the exterior heat exchanger 37 is greater in size than the outer diameter of the axial fan 40, and further, the exterior heat exchanger 37 and the axial fan 40 are arranged in close proximity to each other. Consequently, inflowing air at the fin tips of the exterior heat exchanger 37 placed apart from the outer diameter of the axial fan 40 flows as illustrated in FIG. 20. That is, an angle xcex8 between the fin and the inflowing airflow is large, thus raising the problems that the inflowing air is liable to be separated from the fins and noise is likely to occur.
Additionally, since no air flows at the rear end 50 of the boss 40a of the axial fan 40, the inflowing air flows into the fin tips facing the boss 40a with a large inflowing angle, thereby raising problems similar to those described above.
The present invention has been accomplished in an attempt to solve the above problems observed in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner in which an airflow inside the air conditioner is rectified with simple configuration, thus maintaining blowing performance and preventing dew condensation or suppressing noise.
According to the present invention, an air conditioner having an air duct through which temperature-conditioned air reaches a blowing-out port, comprises a rectifying mechanism having a blown-out air passage therein, for rectifying a flow of the conditioned air toward a predetermined flowing direction. Thus, it is possible to produce the effect of rectifying air with simple configuration while maintaining the blowing performance.
The rectifying mechanism may supply the conditioned air in a predetermined quantity or more to a wall surface defining the air duct. Consequently, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing any dew condensation caused by a back-flow of interior air from the blowing-out port.
The rectifying mechanism may be provided with an air quantity adjusting member for adjusting an air quantity passing through the air passage. Therefore, it is possible to produce the effect of appropriately adjusting a quantity of air to be rectified by the rectifying mechanism.
A member constituting the air passage of the rectifying mechanism may be juxtaposed with a main stream of blown-out air. Thus, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing the rectifying mechanism from causing another air resistance or turbulence, and further, the effect of smooth rectifying without causing any dew condensation.
The rectifying mechanism may be disposed at a position at which blown-out air inside the air duct is deflected toward a different direction. Consequently, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing any generation of turbulence caused by deflection or any occurrence of dew condensation.
The rectifying mechanism may be disposed in a guide vane base serving as the structure for fixing a lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes, which are disposed in the air duct to laterally adjust the direction of blown-out air. Therefore, it is possible to produce the effect of rectifying without installing any additional dew condensation preventing structure for the rectifying mechanism.
The rectifying mechanism may be disposed in a unit box for a fan for producing blown-out air. Thus, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing any generation of turbulence or dew condensation caused by separation of the blown-out air from the unit box and rectifying the air without installing any additional dew condensation preventing structure for the rectifying mechanism.
The rectifying mechanism may be disposed in the vicinity of the portion where a plurality of air flowing direction adjusting pieces for adjusting the direction of blown-out air are oriented in directions different from each other. Consequently, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing any generation of turbulence around the boundary of different air flowing directions in the case where the air is blown in the different directions.
The rectifying mechanism may be molded integrally with any one of component parts constituting the air conditioner. Therefore, it is possible to produce the effect of forming the rectifying mechanism without inducing any increase in the number of component parts.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, an air conditioner including an axial fan for blowing air and a heat exchanger having cooling fins for taking in the air blown by the axial fan so as to perform heat exchanging, comprises rectifying means interposed between the axial fan and the heat exchanger, for reducing an inflowing angle of air flowing into the fin tips of the heat exchanger. Thus, it is possible to reduce the angle between fins of the heat exchanger and the flow of the inflowing air so as to hardly separate the inflowing air from the fins, thereby suppressing occurrence of noise.
The rectifying means may be attached to the heat exchanger. Consequently, the air conditioner can be easily assembled after the rectifying means is attached.
The rectifying means may be fixed to a portion except the heat exchanger. Therefore, assembling workability can be enhanced more than the case where the rectifying means is attached to the heat exchanger.
The rectifying means may be disposed at a portion except a projection area of the axial fan onto the heat exchanger. Thus, it is possible to reduce the angle between the fin and the flow of the inflowing air at the portion except the projection area of the axial fan onto the heat exchanger so as to hardly separate the inflowing air from the fins, thereby suppressing occurrence of noise.
The axial fan may include a blade fixing portion for fixing a blade at substantially the center thereof, and the rectifying means may be disposed within a projection area of the blade fixing portion onto the heat exchanger. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase of an inflowing angle of the inflowing air at the fin tips facing the blade fixing portion, which is caused by no airflow at the rear end of the blade fixing portion, and to reduce noise because of less separation of the air.
The rectifying means may be constituted of a flat rectifying plate. Consequently, it is possible to manufacture the rectifying means at a reduced cost.
The rectifying means may be constituted of a rectifying plate inclined on the suction side thereof toward the axial fan. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the inflowing angle of the air flowing into the fin tips of the heat exchanger so as to enhance the effect of suppressing noise.
In an air conditioner including an axial fan for blowing air and a heat exchanger having cooling fins for taking in the air blown by the axial fan so as to perform heat exchanging, the fins are inclined on the suction side thereof toward the axial fan. Thus, it is possible to reduce the angle between the fins of the heat exchanger and the inflowing airflow so as to hardly separate the inflowing air from the fins, thereby suppressing occurrence of noise, and to dispense with another rectifying means so as to reduce the number of component parts. Additionally, it is possible to eliminate detaching work of the rectifying means at the time of recycling, and further, the fins are excellent in recycling property since the fins are made of aluminum.
The fins may be inclined on the suction side thereof toward the axial fan at a portion except a projection area of the axial fan onto the heat exchanger. Thus, it is possible to reduce the angle between the fins and the inflowing airflow at the portion except the projection area of the axial fan so as to hardly separate the inflowing air, thereby suppressing occurrence of noise.
The axial fan may include a blade fixing portion for fixing a blade at substantially the center thereof, and the fins may be inclined on the suction side thereof toward the blade within a projection area of the blade fixing portion onto the heat exchanger. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in inflowing angle of the inflowing air at the fin tips facing the blade fixing portion, which is caused by no airflow at the rear end of the blade fixing portion, and to reduce noise because of less separation of the air.